Car-door-operating mechanism.



J. A. LAIDLAW.

GAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1913.

1,093,273. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

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- WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY JAMES A. LAIDLAW, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-DOOR-OIPEEATING MECHANISM.

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Patented Apr. 14, 121st. Serial No. 808,149.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, JAMES A. IJAIDLAW, a subject of the King of England, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in CarDoor-Opcrating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a car door operating mechanism.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a simple, substantial, easily operated car door controlling mechanism which cannot easily become disarranged and which is applicable to various forms and makes of railway and like cars,

The object of the invention is to provide a car door operating mechanism, which is particularly adapted for operating end doors, and which is so constructed that it may be operated from either end of the car with the expenditure of little effort and by a simple manipulation of the controlling mechanism, and in which means are provided for automatically throwing the oper ating mechanism out of engagement with the doors, thereby leaving same free to be opened or closed by hand.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aplan section of the car, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the car partly broken away, showing the door shifting mechanism. Fig. 3 is an end view of ameans for revolving the shaft B.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the car proper and B a journaled shaft extending longitudinally through the car above the doors. Suitably secured upon the shaft B is a pair of spur gears i and 5, and suitably secured upon the tops of the sliding doors 2 and 3 is a pair of rack members 4: and 5'; Gear 4 is adapted to be thrown into mesh with rack 4 when it is desired to open or close this door, while gear 5 is similarly adapted to be thrown into mesh with the rack 55 when it is desired to open the door at the opposite end of the car.

The means for throwing either gear a or 5 into mesh with its corresponding rack consists of the following mechanism:

6 and 7 indicate a pair of flange collars secured upon shaft B, and straddling said collars are forked arms 8 and 9 pivotally mounted, as at 10, in a suitable bearing bracket secured in the ceiling 11 of the car. Secured to the forked arm 8 or formed integral with same is a pair of outwardly extending arms 12 and 13, and secured to same are downwardly extending straps 1 1 by which the connected arms 8, 12 and 13 may be rocked in one direction or the other.

In operation, when it is desired to open door 2, it is accomplished by pulling that strap 14 which connects with arm 13. This will transmit movement through the forked arm 8 and collar 6 to move the shaft B in the direction of arrow a. Gear 4 being secured on the shaft will thus be moved in unison with same into the dotted line position indicated at 4, Fig. 2, where it will intermesh with rack 4 and door 2. The shaft B is then revolved by any suitable mechanism, or, as indicated in Fig. 8, by a sprocket chain 15 which passes over a sprocket wheel 16 on shaft B and an idler 17. The door may thus be either opened or closed while gear a and rack 4 are inter meshing.

The moment strap 14 is released an intermediate position is secured (indicated in Fig. 1), where the gears iand 5 are out of mesh wit-h their corresponding racks and the shaft is maintained in this intermediate position by springs 18 and 19 which engage with collars 20 and 21 secured upon the shaft. The doors are thus normally free to be opened or closed by hand without interfering with the opening mechanism. Furthermore, by referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that either door may be opened from either end of the car as each end of the shaft is provided with a shifting arm 8 and 9 re spectively, operated by the straps 14, and the shaft may also be revolved from either end of the car as each end of the shaft is provided with a sprocket similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

The car door operating mechanism here shown is simple and compact in construction and may be quickly and easily operated from either end of the car. The materials and finish of the several parts comprising the mechanism are such as the experience 110 and judgment of the manufacturer may dietate.

I wish it understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and that I do not wish to limit myself to the specific design and construction here shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a car having a plurality of sliding doors, a shaft journaled above the doors longitudinally of the car, a rack member secured to the top of each door, gears fixed on the shaft adapted to be moved into mesh with the racks, means for moving the shaft longitudinally, and means for revolving the shaft.

2. In a car having a plurality of sliding doors, a shaft ournaled above the doors longitudinally of the car, a rack member socured to the top of each door, gears fixed on the shaft adapted to be moved into mesh with the racks, means for moving the shaft longitudinally, means for revolving the shaft, and means for automatically throwing the gears out of engagement with the racks.

3. The combination with a car having a pair of slidab-ly mounted end doors, of a journaled shaft extending longitudinally through the car above thedoors, a pair of gears secured on said shaft, rack members secured to the top of the doors, means for throwing one or the other of said gears into mesh with its corresponding rack, and

means for automatically holding the gears out of mesh with the racks.

4. The combination with a car having a pair of slidably mounted end doors, of a journaled shaft extending longitudinally through the car above the doors, a rack member secured on the top of each door, a pair of gears fixed on the shaft, one for each rack, a grooved collar on the shaft, a pivotally mounted forked arm straddling said collar, means for rocking said arm, and means for revolving the shaft.

5. The combination with a car having a pair of slidably mounted end doors, of a journaled shaft extending longitudinally through the car above the doors, a rack member secured on the top of each door, a pair of gears fixed on the shaft, one for each rack, a grooved collar on the shaft, a pivotally mounted forked arm straddling said collar, means for rocking said arm to move the shaft longitudinally to bring one of the gears into mesh with its corresponding rack, means for revolving the shaft, and means for automatically throwing the gears out of mesh with the racks,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. LAIDLAW,

Witnesses I R; W. PIEBSON,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. I 

